Timer



March 27, 1934.

J. w. ANDERSON 1.952,349

, TIMER Filed April 25, 1930 2 BY si: d/ AToRNEx/s Patented Mar. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES TIMER James W. Anderson, Berkeley, Calif., assigner to Anderson Manufacturing Company, Hollywood, Calif., a corporation. of California Application April 25, 1930, Serial No. 447,207

4 Claims.

This invention relates to devices by means of which an electric current may be caused to flow and then be discontinued after it has been flowing for a predetermined and certain period of time.

An object of my invention is to provide a device by means of which an electric circuit may be closed and thereafter automatically opened after the lapse of a predetermined and certain period of time.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device by means of which an electric circuit may be closed manually or otherwise, and thereafter automatically opened after the lapse of a predetermined and certain period of time, without any further attention from the operator.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the type described, by means of which an electric circuit may be closed by a simple manual movement of one member, whereafter said circuit will be automatically opened after the lapse of a predetermined and certain period of time and whereby such closing and opening of the circuit may be repeated at will by the operator, with provision for varying at will the predetermined certain time for which the circuit is to be closed.

My invention is applicable to many uses as will be apparent, but I have designed it especially for definitely xing the period of time i during which photographic paper is exposed in the printing' of negatives or in the making of enlargements thereof, as set forth in my copending application Serial Number 447,206 led April 25, 1930, and which has eventuated in Pat- Y ent No. 1,920,671, dated August 1st, 1933.

Referring to the drawing forming a part hereof,

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my device taken approximately along the line I--I of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with the cover removed,

Fig. 3 is a side view with one side of the casing removed, this View being a section taken along the line III--III of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken along the line V-V of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the electrical circuit.

My device comprises a casing 11 within which is mounted an electric motor 12. Fast on the motor shaft 13 is a worm pinion 14 which drives a worm gear l5, which rotates loosely on a shaft 16. A clutch member 17 is loose upon the shaft 16 so that it may slide freely longitudinally thereof, this clutch member comprising a sleeve 18 and a flange 19 integral therewith or suitably connected thereto. A pin 20 is fast in the shaft (Cl. Z110- 33) 15, a acc nmodate said pin, whereby the clutchmember may slide longitudinally of the shaft and the clutch member and shaft will rotate together. Fast on the shaft 16 is a pinion 16a meshing with a gear 16h on a rotatably mounted drum 21, which is thus rotated by the rotation of the shaft, and xed to said shaft 16,'as by a screw 22, is a slee-1e member 23 having a ange 24. A coiled spring 25 is compressed between the flanges le and 24 and thus tends to hold the clutch member 17 against the face of the worm gear l5, whereby the rotation of the worm gear will rotate the clutch and, consequently, the drum 21, unless too great a retarding effect is applied to the drum, when the worm gear will rotate with its face in frictional contact with the face of the clutch member which for the time being does not rotate. it is thus apparent that with the motor running there will be a-tendency for it to rotate the drum unless the rotationof the drum is prevented, in which event the motor will continue to rotate until its electrical circuit is opened. Y l

On the face of the drum I provide several series of depressions, the spaces between said depressions being different in any one series than in the others; for example, the series of depressions 26 may be a greater distance apart-than the series of depressions 27, and these may-be a greater distance apart than the series of depressions 28, which again may be a greater distance apart than the series of depressions 29, it being understood that all the depressions'in each series are in line with each other along a circle formed on the periphery of the drum, which is cylindrical, and that the spaces between adjacent perforations in any one series are equal. l

Upright pins 30 are fixedin an insulating block 31 attached to the bottom ofthe casing, and a bar 32 is arranged to ride vertically and vin horizontal position on these pins. Coiled compression springs 33 tend to hold the bar 32 in its uppermost position against nuts 34 on the pins. The bar carries an electrical contact 35 which is thus normally resiliently maintained in its uppermost position.

A hollow square-shaped frame 36 is pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof within the casing on the supports 36a, this frame carrying a switch-operating handle 37 whichprcjects through an opening in the front of the casing and whch carries a contact member 38 adjustably held in position thereon by a set screw 39. The contact member 38 co-operates with the contact member 35 to make and break an electrical circuit to be described hereinafter and contact between the two parts of the switch, which will hereinafter be designated generally by the numeral 37a, by depression of the handle or button nd the sleeve 18 is provided with a slot to y' 37, whereupon the two members of the switch will be :resiliently held in contact with each other by reason of the springs 33 pushing the contact 35 upwardly, which contact would fall if the springs were absent. A bar having the operating handle member 41 at the end thereof is slidable transversely through the supports 36a, the bar and the corresponding openings in the .support being nonround to prevent rotation ,of the bar. Fixed to this bar is an arm 42 projecting rearwardly and forked at its ends, the forks `42a and 42h being one above and one below the rear side of the frame 36, so that tipping of the frame 36 about its pivot points b y depressing the button 37 will cause the 4arm 42 and `its `forks to rise. The lower fork 42h carries a lug aixed thereto which fits into any -of the depressions on the drum and which --is urged therein-to by the tension springs l44 attached to the frame 36. The parts are so proportioned that 'as the lug 43 enters a depression in the drum as the drum rotates, the contact member `38 will tbe raised away from the contact member 35, whereby the switch 37a is opened, but this vswitch will be closed as long as the drum rotates with the lug l43 rid-ing on the surface thereof Without entering a depression. The movement `of the bar 40 transversely of the device 'is for the pur-pose of 'bring-ing the lug 43 in line v`with any yone of -the series of depressions 26, 28, etc., whereby the duration of time that the switch '37a `is closed may be controlled.

vReferring to Fig. 6, I provide a switch plug 46 adapted to -t 'into the usual socket and which is at Athe end -of an electrical extension cord 4'? which runs Vinto the casing. One side of this supply circuit is connected with the contact member88 and `also with one vside of a switch 48, the other side of this switch being connected to one side of a switch 49, the other side of which connects with the motor 12. The side of the switch 48 which is `connected with the switch 49 is also connected with one side of the means to be electrically actuated, as the lamps 50, the other side of "which connects with the other motor lead and with -the other side Aof the power circuit. The firs-t mentioned ymotor lead connects with the .contact member l35.

The switches 48 and 49 Yare each operated manually to either onor off position, while the switch '37a is operated to closed position by depressing the llbutton 37 manually or otherwise, which brings the -two contacts 38 and `35 together Vand at 'the Ysame time withdraws the lug 43 from the depression in which it happens to be. The motor starts and thus causes rotation of the drum 2l Aand `this rotation continues until a depression comes under the :lug 43, whereby the lug falls into such depression and opens Athe switch 37, thus cutting -oi' current tothe motor. The mo- 'torWilL however, coast for a short period of time immediately after the drum 2l stops, which is permitted by the structure ofthe clutch, where- 'by the worm 'gear -may continue to rotate frictional-ly against vthe clutch for a while, while the clutch is at rest. The arrangement of the switches is such that various combinations of operating parts are possible; for example, all the parts maybe inoperative, the motor alone may revolve with the 2lights off, the motor and drum may both revolve with the lights oif, the motor 'and drum -may both Abe still with the lights on, Athe motor may revolve with the lights on while 'the drum is still, Aor the motor may revolve while thedrum is turning-and with the lights on. This arrangement is very convenient, since it is sometimes desirable to turn on the lights alone, or to cause the motorto revolve alone, or with the drum, or to have all three elements function for various purposes of operation or testing.

I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention merely by way of illustration and not as a limitation of the invention, the scope of which is dened in the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 0f the United States is l. In a device of the type described, a drum having several series of depressions therein, a switch having-an operating handle, a lug fitting into any of said depressions, means to cause said lug to enter a depression when said depression is under said lug, and a selector for causing said lug to co-operate with the depressions in any one of said series.

2. In a device of the type described a rotary member having series of depressions therein, a switch having an operative handle, a stop member which may feed into any of said depressions, a selector for causing said stop member to cooperate with the depressions in any one of said series of depressions, and means causing the stop member to enter a depression as the rotary member revolves and when said stop and depression are in register whereby the switch will be actuated.

3. A device of the character described comprising a rotary member having a series of depressions thereon, the separate series of depressions being characterized by being differently spaced circumferentially, motive means for driving the rotary member, a friction clutch interposed between said motive means and rotary member whereby the motive means may continuously operate when the rotary member is held against rotation, a switch having a handle, a selector actuated by the switch handle, a stop pin carried by the selector, said pin being adapted to project into a depression on the rotary member to hold the rotary member against rotation and to permit the rotary member to rotate when withdrawn therefrom, and as the vswitch is actuated by its handle, and means normally holding the stop pin against the face of the rotary member so that the stop pin will enter the next succeeding depression in register therewith to simultaneously actuate the switch and lock the rotary member.

4. A device of the character described comprising a drum having a series of depressions thereon, the separate series of depressions being characterized by being differently spaced circumferentially, motive means `for driving the drum, a friction clutch interposed between said motive means and drum whereby the motive means may continuously operate when the drum is held against rotation, a switch having a handle, a selector actuated by the switch handle, a stop pin carried by the selector, said pin being adapted to project into a depression on the drum to hold the drum against rotation and to permit the drum to rotate when withdrawn therefrom, and as the switch is actuated by its handle, and means normally holding the stop pin against the face of the drinn so that the stop pin will enter the nextI 

